Wow, what a project this turned out to be! (I'm still not convinced the project is complete, either : / ). READ THIS AND TAKE NOTE, LEARN FROM MY EXPERIENCE!!! I have a 2013 Ford Expedition EL. As to the ride height, it was EXACTLY what I was hoping for. Not too high, not too low. The goal was to simply get a little ground clearance from the "grocery getter" height that stock provided. I actually have to use the step rail to get in now. Once I get new tires next year, I'll go to a size 285/70-18 to fill the wheel wells without rubbing First off, putting a leveling kit on your truck itself is an interesting idea. The thought here is to raise the height of the vehicle without altering the factory ride OR investing in a $1,500 kit plus another $1,000 for labor. Ok, good so far.... The lesson I learned from using a leveling kit is there are post-installation steps that must be taken to ensure you didn't waste your money. First the obvious: an alignment. Second: I needed a concentric bolt installed on the lower control arms of my Expedition because when I dropped the arms down with the leveling kit, the tech was NOT able to bring the wheels into vertical alignment because the available travel was maxed out. The Camber was still tilted out too far. The concentric bolts cost me $110 plus labor to install and took 2 hours. Third, my brake lines are now maxed out on their length for wheel travel. The fronts are "ok", but the rears are stretched tighter than I like, despite having moved them down the frame by drilling new holes. I am most likely going to have them replaced with slightly longer lines. I'm afraid that if I drop into a pothole, and pop out the other side, it'll rip the lines right out of the hubs and presto, no brakes! Fourth, and most concerning, is my front 4WD hubs are making a really bad noise, it sounds like the gears are not meshing correctly. This happens intermittently, but often, usually when I'm braking, coasting, or turning. It's most noticeable at lower speeds, but I've heard it at highway speeds as well. My Ford mechanic has told me that those hubs, called IWE's, are known for being tempermental at best, so to not be too surprised that I was having issues with them, now that I took them out of their "happy place" from the stock strut position. It's either going to go away on its own, or I will eventually not have 4WD until and unless I replace the hubs. If you're looking to make this a Lifted Truck, leveling kits are not for you. Their purpose is to simply get a little extra height for ground clearance and aesthetic appeal. They do NOT replace a true lift kit if you are using this as a cheap method to improve the 4 Wheel Drive capacity for off-roading. I installed this myself, over a couple days. I have some limited auto-mechanic experience, of the "shade tree" variety, and I'm not afraid to take on projects like these, when they're concerning "bolt on" parts. That said, it was definitely challenging, with a few moments where I started to regret the decision to do it myself. Also, you NEED A PARTNER FOR SOME PARTS OF THE INSTALLATION, mostly on the back axle as you wrestle the lower control arms back up into place. You can't work the little jack and hold the arm at the same time.
